Dolicharthria punctalis
| Dolicharthria punctalis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Adult, Roussillon (France) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Lepidoptera |
| Family: | Crambidae |
| Genus: | Dolicharthria |
| Species: | D. punctalis |
| Binomial name | |
| Dolicharthria punctalis (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The Long-legged China-mark (Dolicharthria punctalis) is a species of moth of the family Crambidae. It is the type species of the proposed genus Stenia, which is usually included in Dolicharthria but may be distinct.[1]
Illustration from John Curtis's British Entomology Volume 6
It is found mainly in Central and Southern Europe, but has been spotted further north. The wingspan is 20–25 mm. The moth flies from May to September depending on the location.
The caterpillars feed on Centaurea (knapweeds), Plantago (plantain herb), Trifolium (clovers), Artemisia vulgaris (Common Wormwood) and even the marine eelgrass Zostera marina. Yet other unusual recorded[2] foods are dry leaves, plant waste, and old roots.
Footnotes
References
- Grabe, Albert (1942): Eigenartige Geschmacksrichtungen bei Kleinschmetterlingsraupen ["Strange tastes among micromoth caterpillars"]. Zeitschrift des Wiener Entomologen-Vereins 27: 105-109 [in German]. PDF fulltext
- Savela, Markku (2009): Markku Savela's Lepidoptera and some other life forms – Dolicharthria. Version of 2009-MAY-16. Retrieved 2010-APR-12.